“Vell,” he remarked, und he squeezed de punions on my hands, “swear off!—drink only vhiskey and Old Tom gin.”
I schwore.
From dis day to dot I haf been a changed man; I never get sober ofer dree dimes a week—agate measure.
Oh, I give it to you straight, my hearers, demperance vos a great ding—for women and children.
I had a brudder vonce, a goot, nice, six for a penny leedle poy. He had hair like roasted cheese und a complexion like strawberries mit gream gakes. Ve all dought dat he vould grow ub to pe bresident of a pank, skib avay to Canada und end his days universally respected.
But he vos led astray.
He got in mit an alderman’s son und a minister’s daughter, und dot ruined him.
He vos goaxed to drink.
Fust vater mit orange peel, den soda vater, next veiss peer mit a glub in it, after dot, brandy.